Since we’re doing vintage Chevy trucks, let’s not forget that they didn’t look the same in other countries. Brazil had a long tradition of making Chevrolets and other GM vehicles going back to the thirties. And trucks played a big role. The Veraneio was a very popular utility truck built for almost forever. I’m guessing it was probably built on an obsolete chassis that tooling was sent south, as was typical for the era. Similar pickups were obviously on offer too.

Doesn’t this look just like an ad in the US from the same vintage. Well, the colonial effect also applied to advertising agencies, which all had oversees branches wherever big American companies were plying their wares.

So is this a photochop or a genuine Veraneio? Google Images turns up some strange things, and sometimes without any explanation.

This Barzilian C10 truck was the starting point for the Veraneio.

The current Brazilian S-10 is also a cast-off from the US, and although it’s been tarted up a bit, it still has US sheet metal. The days of unique Brazilian trucks is over.

That is for certain not a “factory” Veraneio. And I agree it looks photoshopped.

And I may be incorrect, but the Veraneio is not really a member of the Suburban family. I don’t what it is but the Suburban had a real Brazilian version in the 50s. It was called the Chevrolet Amazona (I’m sure Google will turn up a picture or 2).

As to copies, yes but not always. The original S10 had a basically all-Brazilian design that showed up in the US as the Isuzu Hombre. The Chevette was launched here before in Europe and so was the Meriva. And before all the recent changes at GM, Brazil was supposed to be the development hub for pick-ups, Korea for small cars, and Opel for mid-size and bigger cars.

I have a nice memory of traveling with my parents and some friends in a rented Veraneio. 4 adults and 4 children, plenty of space for all and luggage. This was before Minivans were available (imported).
One day my father got back home with a Mazda MPV and we never longed for the Veraneio anymore.

FromBrazil, if I recall correctly, the S10 was based on a Isuzu design.

Yes, I believe all the engineering must of been Isuzu, though adapted to GM’s Brazilian engines. Now I think, but can’r affirm, the sheetmetal design was Brazilian. What I know is that when the Isuzu Hombre showed up in the US it was using the S10’s original design, while in Brazil it had already been facelifted.

In 1968 my grandfather bought a Veraneio. My uncle and a few friends had to pick it up in Rio (there was no dealership in our then remote hometown in the Northeast coast). It took them 5 days to get home with the car!!! This vehicle played a major role during the 50’s and 60’s, as the Brazilian economy boomed and development reached new frontiers. The Ford Rural was the other SUV common in the streets and poor roads of those times.

After 1988 it got a new body style (as the C-10 pick-up truck was updated to the D-20 and furthermore Silverado). The models between 1989 and 1998 looked very alike with the Suburban model produced in the late 80’s and early 90’s in North America. There was also a model called Bonanza that would be the equivalent of the Tahoe, with only 2 doors.

On its latest days, the model name was renamed Grand Blazer and was actually imported from Argentina (some photos and text in Portuguese here: http://www.picapesgm.com.br/reportagens/reportagem_grandblazer.htm).

There were also a few shops that would transform D-20/Silverado pick-up trucks into Suburban-like SUVs, under special order. They were particularly popular as luxury vehicles until 1990, when imported cars were forbidden in the Country.